Trial and Error
by Elder Soul
Summary: After the hectic events of Toula's parents getting married and Paris going off to college in New York (My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2), things seem to have settled down in Toula and Ian's lives. But following a devastating diagnosis, they both must come to terms with being vulnerable and accepting help. *I worked hard on getting the voices right; I hope that shows in the dialogue*
1. Chapter 1

**Hello! I've been sitting on this story for a while. I've had it written in a Word document for a long time. Normally, I would keep it to myself, but I came to realize that there are essentially no My Big Fat Greek Wedding fanfictions out there! I found that to be unacceptable, so I decided to offer my own.**

 **Let it be known that all rights and such belong to Nia Vardalos and the creators/producers of the MBFGW story.**

 **I own nothing!**

 **This is my own spin on some feels-inducing events that could take place after the end of the second movie.**

 **Enjoy, and don't hesitate to leave comments!**

 **Thank you for reading.**

* * *

Toula went into the doctor's office for her routine check-up. Since Paris had gone off to NYU, she had to force herself to look forward to appointments, errands, and other trivial events. Nothing else would keep her occupied.

It wasn't anything new or different, just a weigh-in, height measurement, hearing test, mammogram. She went through the motions blandly, going through checklists in her mind.

She needed to stop by the grocery soon. She needed to retrieve her wallet from the family restaurant. She had accidentally left it there.

Oh, and how could she forget? Ian called earlier, asking her out on a date. She couldn't help but grin at the memory. He made it feel like old times again, calling and asking permission to have dinner or go see a movie. It was just like when they first met.

Toula pondered what she would wear that evening. She wanted to look nice for her husband, so perhaps she would don that black skirt she bought awhile back, and the sleek gold shirt that was somewhere deep in her closet.

She responded to the calling of her name, heading in the back room to discuss the results with her doctor. Her mind wandered as she sat down and offered a polite smile.

"Hello, Toula," Dr. Reese greeted. She gave a tight grin in return. "I wanted to talk to you about your test results."

"Before you get into your spiel, I know." The patient raised her hands in lighthearted surrender. "I cheated. I gained a couple of pounds because I couldn't resist dessert."

The doctor flicked her eyes down on her desk, stiffened, then raised her gaze to meet Toula's. "That's quite alright. You don't have to worry about that."

Toula nodded appreciatively. Dr. Reese took a deep breath.

"However, this is about your mammogram."

The friendly expression fell from Toula's face while her heart quickened its pace. It suddenly became nearly impossible to swallow.

"In the images, it seems we've found two lumps. One in each breast." Dr. Reese's tone was grim.

Toula felt her hands begin to tremble. Her shallow breaths rattled in her chest.

"I truly regret to inform you that you have developed breast cancer."

Her ears were ringing loudly. Her eyes were shut.

After ages, Toula spoke shakily. "What?" There was an unbelievable amount of despair in that one word.

"I know this is a shock. I'm so sorry, Toula," Dr. Reese sympathized.

"But- I don't understand. It doesn't run in my family." She was in denial.

"It doesn't have to run in your family for you to get it."

"Wh- what could have caused this?" The Greek woman felt like she couldn't breathe.

"This isn't your fault. Sometimes cells are just mutated, and they start growing uncontrollably."

Toula stood abruptly. Why? She wasn't sure. "I know this isn't my fault," she said severely.

"Please. I know you're upset. But we can fight this." Dr. Reese stood too, taking her patient's hand. "It's Stage 2, which is far from the worst."

Toula pulled away slowly. She backed up, stumbling. "I have cancer?" she whispered faintly, tears filling her eyes. She pressed a hand over her quivering mouth and fell against the wall, sliding to the floor.

She sat there, defeated, and cried.


	2. Chapter 2

Ian tapped his foot, bouncing his leg rapidly. He checked his watch again. He scanned the restaurant, seeking out his wife.

She still wasn't there.

He straightened up, readjusting his crisp sport coat. He anxiously smoothed down his hair and let out a sigh, trying not to get mad.

Ian practiced shrugging it off. He grinned the tiniest bit, knowing that the time always got away from Toula. He couldn't blame her. That's just how she was.

Ah! At long last, there she was.

The tall man jumped up excitedly, smiling at her. He pulled out her chair, gesturing for her to sit.

"And how is my personal Greek statue tonight?"

"I'm sorry I'm late, E," she apologized softly.

"Don't worry about it." He shook his head, and unconditional love gushed from his eyes.

He cleared his throat. "You look very nice. I like that shirt on you."

Toula gave a short, curt nod. Her stare bored into the table.

"Hey." Ian knit his eyebrows together, reaching over and grasping her hand warmly. "What's going on?"

His soothing voice never failed to make Toula weak. She turned her head away and closed her eyes, squeezing his hand tightly.

"Something happened today, Ian." Her voice wavered.

"You can tell me." Concern creased his face.

"I went to the doctor today, and, um… she-" Toula hitched in a breath. "She told me that I have Stage 2 breast cancer."

Her husband blanched and his grip on her hand slackened. The fear and sadness in his expression broke Toula instantly. Tears dripped down her cheeks and she let out a tiny sob.

Somewhat panicked, Ian leapt out of his chair and hurried around the small table, wrapping Toula in a fierce hug. She pressed her fingers into his back and cried into his chest while he fought the stinging in his eyes and rested his chin on top of her head.

His mind was racing at hundreds of miles per hour.

He bent his neck down so that he could whisper into his wife's left ear.

"I'm so sorry," he murmured in shock. Ian cradled the back of Toula's head with one of his hands. She shuddered in his arms. "But we're going to get through this, okay?" He had newfound resolve. There was no way he was going to lose her.

"I'm scared," she admitted unevenly. "I'm so scared."

"Listen to me. You're so strong, and you're going to have your entire family to back you up. They're going to help take care of you. And I'm going to take care of you, too." Ian gently wiped the tears from her cheeks and kissed her forehead.

"I ruined our date night."

"No way. Come on, let's get out of here. We don't need to be on a date to be together. You'll be more comfortable at home." He took her hand and squeezed it reassuringly, leading the way out of the restaurant. While she wasn't looking, Ian brushed away the tears in his eyes. He had to be strong for her.


	3. Chapter 3

"How are we going to tell the family?" Ian asked a couple of days later. He and Toula were sitting on the couch together, holding hands, watching TV. "Should we do it one-on-one?"

A brief laugh bubbled from her throat. It was nice. He hadn't heard her laugh in the past few days.

"No way. If we told one person then the rest of the family would know by the time we get to the second person."

"You're right," Ian nodded. He glanced over at her. "Are you prepared to tell your entire family, all at once? It'll be intense."

Toula dropped her head back, not wanting to think about it. Images flashed in her mind: her, standing alone in front of 15+ members of her family; her, getting absolutely swarmed…

"Oh my god!" Toula jerked upright. "How are we going to tell Paris?!"

"Jesus…" Ian rubbed his forehead and sighed. "I have no idea."

"Why don't…" she paused. "Why don't we just not tell anyone?"

Ian stared incredulously.

Toula shrugged, trying to make it seem like less of a drastic idea. "No one needs to know. We can deal with this, just you and me."

"Are you _crazy_?" Ian grabbed her head and looked it over, making sure she didn't have a wound that somehow caused brain damage.

"Cut it out," Toula wriggled free. "I'm serious. It's going to be a lot of suffocation and worry and crying. I don't want to deal with it."

"You aren't serious. You just _think_ you're being serious. You want to be tough and brave and work this out on your own. We aren't going to do that. I'm sorry, but I'm putting my foot down. We're going to involve the family."

"I don't want to tell anyone," Toula admitted quietly. "It's scary and it's sad and it's embarrassing."

"You don't actually think you could ever keep this a secret from your family, do you? They'd most definitely find out."

" _I know._ But I just don't want to tell anyone. They're going to… look at me weird." She stood and began pacing. "I mean, _damn it_ Ian! Why me?" she demanded.

"I- I don't know. I can't tell you why. But it doesn't matter, okay?" Ian tried to reassure.

"No! It does matter. Because I already had to put up with all of this stupidly insane, stressful stuff, and now I should be off the hook. It's not okay and I don't know if it's going to be okay!" Toula was shouting at that point.

"Babe…" Ian held up his arms in surrender. "I'm sorry."

So then they decided to tell Paris.

The parents sat nervously in front of the laptop, waiting to Skype.

"We've got this," Ian muttered, squeezing his wife's knee. "Paris is mature."

Toula was squirming. "No, wait, I can't-" she made for shutting the laptop, but Ian stopped her hands and held it open.

"Hi mom, hi dad!" Paris greeted enthusiastically through the somewhat crappy microphone.

"Hi honey," Ian smiled, giving her a tiny wave. "It feels like it's been forever since we've seen you."

"Oh, come on guys, it's only been a couple of weeks."

"We miss you, honey," Toula chimed in. It proved a grueling challenge not to get choked up.

"How's Yia Yia and Pa Pou?" the daughter wondered. "Still happily married?"

"Oh yes, they're doing just fine," Ian chuckled.

Toula and her husband made eye contact. Should they break it to her now?

"What's up?" Paris caught on. "You guys are acting all stiff and weird."

"Paris, darling, first of all, we want to say that we're so happy for you. We're so proud. We want you to keep studying and to keep focused, okay?"

"What is this about?" she was starting to get paranoid. Through the digital screen, Paris could see tears sparkling in her mother's eyes.

"Your mom is sick," Ian confessed.

"What do you mean? Mom? Are you alright?"

"Honey, don't be scared, okay? Don't worry." Toula's voice was thick with emotion. "We need to tell you… that I have breast cancer."

Shock and devastation were clear on Paris's face. She slapped a hand over her gaping mouth. Tears welled in her eyes.

" _What_?" she whimpered. "Wh- when did this happen? Did we not pay close enough attention?"

"No, no, we couldn't have known. It all happened very quickly, Paris," Toula denied.

"Mom, I…" their daughter's voice broke, and she wiped her eyes. "I'm sorry. I should come home."

"No, honey, you don't have to do that. We'll keep you informed. We won't let anything happen without you knowing about it." Ian tried to convince her to stay. They didn't really have the money to scrape together for a plane ticket at that moment. "We just have to ask one favor: don't tell anyone in the family yet, alright? We're going to tell them tonight when we go over for dinner."

"Okay," Paris agreed, scrubbing her face of all tears again. "I… I'm sorry, that I was so bratty to you guys when we were trying to work college stuff out. I'm really sorry. I feel like, if I hadn't stressed you out so much-"

"Paris, don't you dare think like that!" Toula ordered. She rarely dusted off her strict voice, but she utilized it for this. "This is not your fault. And we're going to deal with it. I'm not going anywhere."

The young girl dipped her head in approval. "I understand. Now, I have to get to class. But I really love you guys. I love you." Paris pressed a hand to the screen and Toula's heart constricted.

"I love you too, sweetheart," she said softly. The screen cut to black, and Ian slung his arm around his wife.


	4. Chapter 4

"Thanks for dinner, Ma, it was really great," Toula complimented.

"Oooh, yeah, the seconds and thirds were especially fantastic." Nico closed his eyes and held his stomach, grinning. Toula jabbed his side playfully.

The two siblings were scrubbing dishes. It was their turn to take care of the family's plates.

"So, how's Paris like New York?" Nico inquired.

"Oh, she likes it a lot. She sends us pictures of the skylines, and she's going on a little trip to the Statue of Liberty with a couple of friends soon. I'm happy for her, but I just want her to be safe, you know?" Toula bit her lip.

"Yeah I get it. So is that why you were so quiet during dinner?"

"I'm always quiet during dinner." Toula diverted her gaze.

"I mean, I know New York is a big city and it can be dangerous, but I bet the college campus is very safe. They've probably got their own police unit and whatnot."

"Yeah, you're right." She shrugged it off.

"So then what are you _really_ upset about?" Nick pried. He could always read his sister better than anyone.

Toula pressed her mouth into a flat line.

"Don't worry about it," she shook her head.

"C'mon, you can tell me."

"Not right now, Nick."

"Aw, sis, I thought I was your confidant."

"I'm surprised you even know what 'confidant' means," she poked fun, trying to derail the conversation.

He clicked his tongue. "I know you too well, Toula. You can't hide stuff from me."

"And I'm not." She was getting exasperated. "I'm going to tell the whole family together. In a few moments. So if you could just keep your pants on until then-"

"Jeez, you're telling the whole family? What's wrong? Are you and Ian getting a divorce? I swear, do I need to pound his face in?"

"Nico, god! Calm down. It's none of that. No, Ian and I are good. We're fine. Just wait, okay?"

Her brother heard the pain in her voice and immediately backed down. "Alright. I got it."

They finished washing the dishes in silence.

Then, the entire family sat down in the living room together. They were all chatting loudly and cackling. Toula sat close to Ian on a couch, poised rigidly. She stared at her feet, avoiding glances that Nick kept shooting her way. Ian rubbed her back affectionately, and she found the courage to stand up.

"Hey, guys," she called meekly. "I've got some… kind of daunting news." Toula inhaled deeply, feeling like she was on fire with everyone's eyes on her.

"Is it about Paris?" Maria questioned.

"Well, no. I don't really know how to, ah, say this, so I'm just going to come right out with it. I was recently diagnosed with Stage 2 breast cancer."

And for once, the family was dead silent. Toula wrung her hands.

Maria had her hand over her heart. Nikki's eyes were watering. Gus was sputtering, and Nico appeared heartbroken.

Aunt Voula stepped forward and embraced her niece. "Dear child," she murmured. She stroked Toula's hair and held her face. "You have a good husband, and you are strong. Therefore, no thing can hurt you."

"Thank you, Aunt Voula."

Nick barely waited to tackle his sister in a back-breaking hug.

"God, Toula. How could this happen? To you of all people." Tears streaked his face as he held her tighter.

"I'm scared too, Nick," she answered.

"Hey, anything you need, ask me. Alright? Money, grocery run, foot massage, anything. I won't let you do this on your own."

"I got it," she nodded appreciatively.

Then it was Maria and Gus, Toula's parents.

"My baby…" Maria's voice shook. "We're not going to cry, right? No cry. Strong like bull. Good for farm." She offered a warm smile to her daughter. "I know it will be okay."

Gus apologized profusely and kissed the top of Toula's head. "You have love and support here. I will always be here for you." Then he turned to Ian. "And you. Since you Greek now, you gotta take good care of my daughter. Eh? I'm… trusting you. Don't mess up."

"I won't, sir. You have my word. I love Toula more than anything." Ian stepped alongside his wife and wrapped his arm around her shoulders, pulling her close.

Toula's expression was a little strangled. She was trying to hold it together. She felt strange. Sick, almost. That feeling like she was on fire hadn't gone away. It was getting to be extremely hot in the living room, but no one else seemed to be uncomfortable.

"Thank you," Toula began, her voice sounding muted. She blinked a few times in an attempt to rid her mind of its sudden sluggishness. Her limbs felt leaden. "I really-"

Then her knees gave out, and she collapsed promptly.


	5. Chapter 5

After Toula had fallen, the family sprang into action. An ambulance arrived at the house in minutes. Ian clambered in back, having every intention to ride to the hospital with his wife. He knelt next to her. She was strapped to a gurney.

"She's burning up," one of the paramedics barked grimly.

"Sir," the other one faced him. "Was she showing any signs of discomfort? Did she let on that she was feeling sick at all?"

Ian was pale. He shook his head and swallowed hard.

"Is she going to be make it through?"

"We need you to give her some space, sir," the first paramedic informed strictly.

Eventually, they made it to the ER. Toula's breathing was labored and she had lost consciousness. All Ian kept hearing was that she was feverish. It was getting to the deadly range. Somewhere around 105 degrees.

They were preparing to take her back into one of the exam rooms, and he would be unable to follow. Though her head had lolled to one side, he could see her fingertips moving the slightest bit.

Ian took the chance and enveloped her hand with both of his. He kissed it, his cheeks wet with a few tears. He felt a feeble squeeze in return. Toula's eyes fluttered, and he knew she'd fight to be okay.

"I'll see you soon, my Greek statue," he whispered.

Another squeeze.

Eventually, the entire family arrived. They took up half of the waiting room, all consoling Ian. Nico and Angelo sandwiched their brother-in-law.

"It's all gonna work out," they encouraged.

Everyone waited there for nearly two hours. Then, a doctor came out to give them information.

"Hello, I'm Dr. Jacobs. You all will be pleased to know that we stabilized Toula and that her fever has gone down two degrees."

"Thank god," Ian exhaled.

"I take it this little episode came as a surprise," he inferred. "There was a cause for Toula's fever. Because of her cancer, her lymph nodes began swelling. That induced the high temperature."

"What can we do to prevent that?" Nick wondered.

"She needs a lot more rest than she's been getting. You can usually reduce swelling by applying towels that have been soaked in hot water. And she can take pain relievers."

"Can we see her?" Ian asked. He was tired and stressed.

"Yes. She might be awake by now. We've got her on fluids and an IV drip. Just don't let her sit up. She needs to remain still and rest."

Dr. Jacobs bid them goodbye and directed a nurse to lead the family back.

"I'm sorry, only family members-"

"We _are_ family!" Voula snipped, leading the way.

"Yes, ma'am," the nurse stammered.

Once Ian was by her side, Toula pried her eyelids open. She was exhausted and overheated, but she heard her husband's voice and wanted to give him some response.

"Hey." He gently caressed her cheek. "How ya doing?"

"Crappy," she croaked. "My armpits hurt."

"Those are your lymph nodes. The doctor told us they're swollen, and that's what caused your fever." Ian tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. "Were you feeling bad at the house and you just didn't tell me?"

Toula bobbed her head weakly. "I should have told you. I'm sorry." Her voice was raspy. "I didn't want to think anything of it, though. But I guess this thing is starting now," she said in reference to her cancer. "I'm scared." A tear leaked out of her eye. "I don't want to go through this."

"I know. It's going to be hard. But we're going to make it through, I promise you that."

"Did anyone let Paris know what's going on?" Toula queried. Everyone shook their heads.

"Damn," Ian moaned. He really didn't want to worry his daughter, but they couldn't keep her uninformed. "Maybe we should wait until morning," he proffered after checking his watch.

"What time is it?"

"Almost 12:30. It's kind of late right now."

"You're right," Toula conceded. They would call their daughter in the morning, when Toula could talk to her without sounding so ill.

The family exchanged hugs and all of the members left the hospital except for Nico and Ian.

"Hey, man, you don't have to stay," Ian slapped him on the back, telling him he could go home.

"Yeah I do." He said it simply. Matter-of-factly. "Of course I have to stay. Otherwise my sister will cause trouble." He winked.

"Well, it'll be good to have company." Ian thanked him, and they made their sleeping arrangements: one on a small couch, the other in a reclining chair in the corner.

Toula was so drained, she was out like a light.


	6. Chapter 6

**I figured I should remind you all that I do not own My Big Fat Greek Wedding 1 _or_ 2\. I do not own any of the characters or storylines mentioned. **

**This is my own take on what could happen after the timeline of the second movie.**

 **I love these characters and their stories, and (just a reminder) I couldn't stand that there was no fanfiction written about these movies.**

 **So, "there you go." ;)**

 **All rights and respect to Nia Vardalos, the mastermind and creator of these movies and wonderful characters. No copyright infringement intended!**

 **Please enjoy and know that you are welcome to comment.**

* * *

Nurses disturbed their sleep periodically throughout the night. They came in to check on Toula's fever at varying intervals, to make sure it wasn't increasing.

Finally, Ian awoke. Bright sunlight was streaming in his eyes, and he had a crick in his neck. The couch had been a little too short for him.

He turned his head, not seeing Nico in the recliner. Instead, Toula's brother was at her side. He gripped her hand and was humming some Greek hymn while she slept.

Ian swung his legs down and sat up, stretching. He had hoped last night was all a bad dream. No such luck. Then he checked his watch, remembering that they needed to call Paris.

9:30 a.m. He had slept in.

"Hey, buddy," Nick spun around in the wheeled chair. "I got some breakfast food from the cafeteria a bit ago. No worries, I got you this little fruit salad thing, Mr. Vegetarian."

"Thanks, man. You already ate?"

"Yeah," Nico nodded.

"Toula's not awake yet," Ian noted.

"Nah. One of the nurses'll be coming in soon, though. That should wake her up."

"How can we tell Paris without scaring her?" Ian fretted.

The brother-in-law bit his lip. "Uh. Don't tell her?" he offered.

"I wish."

A short nurse with black hair hurried in their room.

"Good morning," she smiled politely.

"Morning," Ian and Nico greeted groggily.

The nurse tended to Toula's IV drip and brought in a tray of food, then touched the patient's arm. "Ma'am?" she murmured. "How are you feeling today?"

Toula groaned as she situated herself, running her fingers through her hair. She rubbed the sleep out of her eyes.

"What?"

"How are you feeling?"

"I still feel hot. And a little nauseous. But not nearly as bad as last night."

"That's very good!" the small nurse congratulated kindly. "Would you like orange juice, or water?"

Toula cringed and wrinkled her nose. "Water. Please."

Ian approached his wife when the nurse left.

"Hey, babe." He flashed a smile.

"Hi." Toula pushed away the trolley that the tray of food came on. She was disinterested. "Oh, why don't we call Paris now? I don't sound sick, right Nick?"

"Nope. You sound just fine."

The couple called their daughter, putting her on speaker phone.

"Dad?" Paris answered, yawning. "What's up? Is something wrong?"

"Hey, honey!" Toula answered enthusiastically. It was tiring her out just to sound upbeat.

"Oh, hi mom," Paris amended her salutation.

"I'm here too, sweetheart," Ian chimed in.

"Okay…" They could tell Paris was still waking up.

"Paris, we wanted to keep you in the loop, so we figured this update was necessary. Don't be scared; nothing's wrong."

"Besides Mom having cancer," she pointed out, upset.

"Well… yes," Toula swallowed with difficulty.

Ian took over. "Last night your mother had a very high fever. There was some swelling in her lymph nodes, so we had to get her checked out. But her fever has gone down, and things are going alright."

They heard their daughter sigh miserably. "I feel like I should be there," she admitted. "I feel guilty that you guys are doing this alone."

"Honey, please try not to worry. Please. We need you to keep working and keep your scholarship. The holidays are coming soon and you can see us then, okay?"

Paris submitted, but she wasn't too happy about it. She was anxious to see her parents, healthy and happy. But they were right. No way could she stay at NYU without maintaining her scholarship.

"Trust us, okay Paris?" Ian implored. "This is going to work out. We'll be in touch. We love you."


	7. Chapter 7

A day went by, and Toula's fever was gone. The swelling had decreased drastically. Dr. Reese came in for a status report.

"Hey there," she greeted. "How are you feeling, Toula?"

"A lot better. A lot stronger, too," she said positively.

"That's wonderful news. We need you to be a strong as possible." She clutched a clipboard close to her chest. "I'm thinking… we should probably schedule your surgery. Soon."

Ian walked over and sat on the hospital bed beside his wife.

"Okay," Toula agreed slowly. She wanted this to be done as soon as possible, but she simultaneously didn't want to face it at all.

"I know that Thanksgiving and Christmas are coming up, and I know you'll want to be home for that. So what do you think about in… two weeks?"

"Two weeks?" Her heart thumped loudly.

"You're scared. I understand. But we can't delay, or else the cancer might grow or spread."

The muscles in Ian's jaw tightened. He stared at Toula.

"What do you think?" she asked him softly.

"I don't want to rush you, but I think two weeks will be best. Otherwise I'm going to worry the whole time, and I know you. You'll worry too."

"Toula will worry either way," Nick commented. "She's always been a downer," he joked lightly.

"What can you tell me about the surgery?" she inquired.

Dr. Reese straightened up. "I can tell you that it's going to be an easy surgery. I'm coordinating with a doctor who's done this procedure a thousand times. He has the most experience with Stage 2 cancer. And, there shouldn't be any need for reconstructive surgery afterwards." She offered a small smile. "We're going to take care of you, Toula."

"Alright. See you in two weeks, then," the patient confirmed.

"Don't worry. You'll be home and healing by the time the holidays come around."

"Sounds like a plan," Ian supported. He stood and shook Dr. Reese's hand. "Thanks."

"See you in two weeks," she nodded confidently.

Two weeks passed quickly. They told Paris about the day of the surgery, and they informed the family too. Suddenly, it was the night before, and Toula was trying to keep calm.

She ate dinner with Ian in their quiet house. She was on the edge of her seat, tense, nerves high-strung. Afterward, they went to bed early. She would need the rest.

"I'm going to brush my teeth, okay?" Toula stated tersely.

Ian flopped back onto the bed and closed his eyes. "'Kay."

Hurriedly, the anxious woman shut herself inside the bathroom. She placed her hand on her chest, feeling her heart race. Toula gripped the counter top. She ran the faucet so Ian wouldn't think anything was wrong.

Then, Toula hugged herself and sat down hard on the floor. She shuddered.

There was a buzzing on the counter. It was her phone.

"Hello?" Toula answered.

"Mom?" Paris replied tearfully.

"Hey honey." Toula leaned back against the bathroom wall. "Why are you crying?"

"I'm scared for you," the daughter admitted. "I want to be there with you."

"I know sweetheart. I'm scared too." She laughed instead of sobbing, which surprised her. "I'll tell Aunt Voula to keep you on FaceTime, so you can be there."

"Okay," Paris giggled, though her voice was still thick with emotion. "Do you- do you trust your doctors? Are they the best ones possible?"

"Yes. Yes, they are. They said they're going to take care of me. And I'll be home to see you over break."

"That's good. I'm going to be the first one off that plane. I'll fight any old people who get in the way."

They both broke into laughter.

The mother and daughter listened to the silence for a moment.

"I'll call you tomorrow, before the surgery. And I'll see you right before you go in, if Aunt Voula succeeds in figuring out the technology."

"That sounds perfect," Toula grinned.

"I love you," Paris said with urgency.

"I love you too. I love you so much, sweetheart. Now get some sleep."

They hung up.


	8. Chapter 8

She knew she should have been nervous. And she was. There was a tightness in her chest. But after worrying and being nervous for so long, everything almost receded the day of the surgery. Toula's limbs felt numb. She wasn't sure how she was walking. She wasn't sure how she was holding her husband's hand when she couldn't even feel her arm.

Paris called that morning. It was well before the surgery.

"Did you stay up all night?" Toula fussed.

"I couldn't get to sleep," the daughter admitted. "I'm not tired."

But now, they were at the hospital. The whole family was.

It was like Toula was the President of the United States and her family was the Secret Service; they swarmed her, escorting her to the prep room. It was a long walk.

Dr. Reese met the crowd of people in a polite, friendly manner. The atmosphere was heavy, but everyone was trying to stay positive.

"Alright, Toula. We're going to get you situated and then you'll be off. We'll be starting very soon, so it's best to get all the hugs and kisses in now. We'll need you nice and sanitary," the female doctor gave a half smile.

The family members took their turns, gracing Toula with a minimum of three hugs each. Her parents clung to her and nodded, offering strength and support. Nico worked hard to keep tears from falling. He didn't want to make it seem like a funeral march.

Aunt Voula held up an iPad, displaying Paris on the screen.

"Hi everybody," the young girl waved. "Hi Mom."

"Hi honey."

"You look good in polka dots."

The room filled with laughter.

"Paris, I love you so much. Okay?" Toula blinked a couple of times. "I think they're starting the first round of drugs." There was a lengthy pause. "Whoaaa."

"You feeling alright?" Ian touched her shoulder.

"Yeah just… kind of sluggish. And relaxed."

Ian laughed, and Toula soaked in that wonderful sound.

"Good. You've been a little uptight this morning."

Dr. Reese entered along with a few other nurses and surgeons.

"I'm going to have to ask you all to step out into the hallway. We're ready to begin." She was authoritative and projected her voice well.

"Mom, I love you. Good luck. You're tough enough for this." Paris's tone was frantic. She needed her mother to know that she loved her more than anything.

"Paris, sweetheart, you are so beautiful," Toula admired with slightly glazed eyes. "I don't know how you got to be so beautiful."

The Portokalos family streamed out of the prep room, clumped together outside of the waiting area. They would dominate that space once they sent their beloved Toula off.

Around ten minutes later, the doctors and surgeons were wheeling the hospital bed out. Ian jogged alongside, giving his wife reassuring smiles.

"I'll see you in a few hours. Have a nice nap," he grinned. "I love you."

Toula stared adoringly, but she was no longer in a comprehensive headspace. She knew he was saying loving things, but it just floated in one ear and went out the other. Then, the anesthesia kicked in.


	9. Chapter 9

**I do apologize for this chapter being so short, but it is being paired with another lengthier one, so have no fear!**

 **I am so immensely thankful for those of you who are reading the story! Thank you for requesting more.**

 **It warms my heart.**

* * *

It took Aunt Voula some time to get Paris to stop crying. She sat in the far corner of the waiting area, to keep the girl's tears somewhat private.

As badly as Paris wanted to be consoled, she wouldn't dare reveal her greatest fears. If she spoke them out loud, they could become real.

But she was afraid. She was broken by the last words her mother said. Toula said she was beautiful. Paris was petrified that those might be the last words her mother said to her. They had been reassured time and time again that it was a quick, precise procedure. However, things go wrong in the simplest of surgeries. It could be anesthesia, it could be a doctor's mistake… And those would be the last words.

Not that they were bad. They were wonderful, affectionate compliments. But she couldn't bear the thought of her mother dying after being so unconditionally kind. Paris needed to return the praise, or it needed to be counteracted by her mother yelling at her to clean her room, or something along those lines.

Of course she couldn't tell Aunt Voula anything like that. So she didn't say anything. She just waited until her tears subsided and she could control her gasping lungs.

And she waited for the surgery to be over.


	10. Chapter 10

Finally, Thanksgiving had arrived. And with it, Paris. She was picked up from the airport by Nico and Angelo, who excitedly delivered her to the main Portokalos household. And once she was there, the feast could begin.

Paris was halted at the door, crushed by hugs and smothered in kisses. She welcomed the display of affection, feeling oddly neglected and isolated during her time and NYU thus far. True, that was normal, but it was somewhat lonely for her since she had grown up knowing such fierce, passionate, enveloping, familial love all her life.

Once she had gotten past the mob of people, though, there was only one family member she desperately wanted to see.

"Toula is upstairs, resting," cousin Nikki informed, gripping Paris' shoulder.

"Paris!" Ian's voice boomed from across the living room. "My sweet girl." He held his daughter tightly, then relinquished his grasp so she could go to her mother.

So she trudged upstairs, poking her head in each room. She found Toula in her old room at the family house.

"Mom?"

Toula stirred and winced, sitting up. Then she sucked in a breath.

Her eyes instantly teared up, and she reached her hand out. "Paris," she whispered, her voice wavering.

"I feel like I haven't seen you in years," the daughter murmured. She hugged her mother gently, for fear of causing her discomfort. "How are you feeling?"

"I really do feel good. The doctors say I'm healing quickly, which they find impressive. There's a bit of pain and soreness, but that's usually just when I have to sit up after laying flat."

The mother and daughter talked for a long time, until Pa Pou had to come up and retrieve them. Everyone was itching to start eating, as always.

At the table, it was crowded and loud. Just the way the family liked it.

"So Paris, are there a lot of cute guys at NYU?" Nikki inquired nosily.

"Oh, I don't know." Paris shrank down. She loved her family, but they always wanted to know about her love life. "I don't see too many people consistently. Just passing on the way to class."

"Good answer," Nico mouthed, winking. Paris thought it was pretty sneaky of her to turn the subject to classes, instead of boys.

"Oh, Ma, I got you a pair of shoes that were on sale," Athena mentioned. "I don't know if they're going to fit, but we can return them if you don't like them."

Side conversations erupted all around, Pa Pou grilling Paris about her courses, Angelo joking with Ian about a recent football game, Nico messing with his nephews by kicking them under the table, Gus's mother shouting something at Athena from the kitchen. Nico's sons were bickering over the origins of the word 'iPhone.' Everything was as it should be.

After seconds and thirds, the Thanksgiving dinner concluded. An hour or two of more socializing went by, and then each family member retreated to their respective houses.

Ian, Toula, and Paris contentedly returned to their home. They all sat in the living room together, Paris filling them in on all that had happened at college so far.

"So, are there actually no boys in the picture right now?" Toula just _had_ to ask.

"No, Mom, there aren't any." Paris shook her head and giggled. "I've been hanging out with my roommate a lot, though, and she introduced me to some of her friends. We go out every Friday to a different pizza place in search of the best pizza in New York."

"What a commendable mission," Ian chuckled.

"Yeah, and we walk _so much_. Like, the first two weeks, my legs were killing me! I've probably got great calves now."

The small family of three talked and laughed forever. Paris covered a ton of topics, ranging from her zany Philosophy professor to one time when a hobo was cartwheeling on the streets of Manhattan to a cab driver who didn't know how to get her group of friends to the Empire State Building.

"Well, it sounds like you've been having some amazing adventures, honey," Toula couldn't help but smile at all of these wonderful experiences. Paris spoke about college extremely enthusiastically, her eyes bright and sparkling. She loved learning, just like her mother.

"I'm still not really sure what I want to focus on and major in, but I think I'll narrow it down by the end of the school year."

"We're so proud of you, Paris," Ian admired. "Thank you for being so strong and so determined. It's really helped us out."

Their daughter blushed at the compliment. She was trying hard.

"Enough about me. How are you guys? Has recovery been tough?"

"No," Toula explained truthfully. "Your father has been such a good sport, getting me anything I need, changing my bandages, fluffing my pillows."

"That's me, nurse extraordinaire," Ian grinned.

"You've got bandages?"

"Yes, just until my chest heals completely. I've got these big, adhesive bandage squares and then I wrap gauze around my chest on top of those. It's not glamorous, but it beats wearing a bra," Toula joked.

"Your mother sometimes has some aches and pains, but other than that she's been healthy. We do some exercises that help loosen up the torso and keep her muscles from getting too stiff or weak. But yeah, that's all we've been doing. Sitting around the house and twisting our bodies." Ian folded his hands in his lap and leaned back, getting a bit tired.

"Oh, wow, it's late! I'm sorry I kept you guys up telling you all of these stories," Paris apologized guiltily.

"Sweetheart, don't even worry. We loved hearing everything that's been going on," Toula nodded. "But we should be asleep. We have to enjoy as much of the holidays as we can."

And they did. They walked along the shore of Lake Michigan, like they used to when Paris was very young. They went shopping at the mall and purchased some necessities that she could take back to college, like toilet paper and toothpaste. They went to the movie theater and strolled around in local parks. There was much less arguing now that they lived apart.


	11. Chapter 11

It wasn't long until Christmastime. The day of, there was a gigantic family gathering and exchanging of gifts. Some of the kids got little teddy bears that sang in Greek and recited the alphabet. Paris got more necessities, like hairbands and socks and good, strong boots to make her constant walking more comfortable.

Other gifts were passed out, like hairspray for Nikki and some bright, colorful jewelry for Aunt Voula.

Paris curiously scanned the area for her parents. It was a crowded house and she hadn't been able to find them anywhere.

Pa Pou's mother shuffled alongside the teenager.

"Have you seen my mom and dad?" Paris wondered. The hunched old woman shook her head, then smiled and patted Paris's cheek.

What Toula hadn't told anyone was that she would be receiving her results that day. A week or two after her surgery, she had gone in for a scan, and the doctors were supposed to be calling her with the news now. She was holed up in a back room, crouched on the floor, staring at her phone.

Ian found his daughter, slinging an arm around her shoulders and offering a chocolate chip cookie.

"Hey kid, you seen your mother?" he investigated.

"No, I'm looking for her too!"

"She's going to miss the baklava," Ian returned in a mock worried tone. "Why don't you grab a seat at the table? Dessert's going to be served soon. I'll find Mom."

Paris obliged, settling in at the extended dinner table while Ian followed a hunch and crept sneakily down a hall into one of the back rooms.

"Toula," he whispered, sidling through the doorway. "Have they-"

In that instant, her phone began ringing.

She threw a frightened glance over her shoulder, concern shining in her eyes. Her husband gave her a reassuring nod, though his chest was tight and he was holding his breath. He tried to act cool, calm, and collected for her.

Toula tossed her hair back and pressed her cell phone to her ear.

"Hello?" she answered unsteadily.

Ian listened to the soft, steady murmur of the doctor on the other end. He couldn't make out words, but he paid attention. He stepped closer to Toula as she rose from the floor, nodding and saying "okay" about a hundred times. Her back was to Ian, her shoulders tense.

It was a short call. Another minute or so went by, then she hung up.

"So?" Ian pried, leaning over to try and catch a glimpse of her expression. "What's the verdict?"

Toula let out a breath.

" _Shit!_ " she snarled, hot tears of rage rising in her eyes. She hurled her phone onto the ground and it broke into three pieces. She stalked up to a dresser and kicked it repeatedly. She ran her fingers through her hair and knocked an empty bedside table to the floor. "God _damn it!_ " she hissed, her hands trembling as her blood boiled.

Toula shook her head at the ground, then brought her murderous glare up to meet Ian's fearful gaze.

"They didn't get all of it," she stated stiffly, breathing heavily. Her anger started to crumble and he could see the devastation surfacing. "I have to go through the surgery again, and this time they want to do chemotherapy after."

Ian stared, heartbroken. He reached his arm out in an attempt to close the gap between them.

"I still have cancer," Toula whimpered miserably. Instead of meeting Ian in a hug, she fell to her knees and dropped her face in her hands.


End file.
